


Warmth of Another

by TheShatteredRose



Category: 7th Dragon (Video Game), 7th Dragon III Code: VFD
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 02:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8731771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShatteredRose/pseuds/TheShatteredRose
Summary: Yuma’s jacket for Haruki’s scarf?





	

Haruki ignored the bitter evening chill against his back as he wrapped his jacket tighter around the small bundle against his chest. A small white cat, quite malnourished and dehydrated, released a sad little purr that was more akin to a whimper.

"I know," Haruki whispered as he lifted a piece of his jacket to clean the dirt and mud from the kitten's face. "We'll have you somewhere warm soon."

It was late afternoon when he had decided to go for a walk around the main plaza of Nodens and it was only a few minutes after when he had heard a soft cry. Always on the lookout for cats and kittens for Meowdens, he immediately went in search for the cat that appeared to be in distressed. It didn't take him long to find the tiny little thing. So thin and ragged. Shivering uncontrollably from the cold. Its fur appeared as if it should have been snow white but was a dull, dusty grey colour.

Haruki didn't hesitate to remove his jacket and tried to coax the small kitten over to him. It took him quite a few minutes to win the little guy's trust, but eventually the kitten pushed itself onto its thin little legs and hobbled over to him. It released a heartbreaking purr of relief when Haruki scooped it up into his arms and wrapped his jacket around it.

Ai from Meowdens will have it fat and healthy in no time.

Haruki hadn't realised how cold it really was until he began his journey back to Nodens. The sun was setting and a cool sea breeze washed over the area, making it colder than it usually was at this time of year. He had his trusty scarf, so it was blocking out some of the cold, but he was really starting to feel the chill against his back and shoulders.

"Haruki? What are you doing out in the cold?"

Haruki was honestly surprised to hear Yuma's voice call out to him. The last few days had proven difficult to get a hold of the man, and the only time Haruki could actually speak with him on a personal level was only when he initiated contact first. Even that was quickly becoming few and far in-between.

He paused in his steps and watched as Yuma quickly made his way over to him. He was dressed in his usual ISDF attire. Yet, Admiral Yoritomo wasn't accompanying him. In fact, there didn't appear to be anyone from ISDF with him currently, so he wasn't on a mission.

"Oh, Yuma?" Haruki greeted with a smile as the brown-haired man reached him. "Did you manage to get some time off?"

Yuma, however, seemed to disregard his question with an idle wave of his hand and proceeded to study him with a frown. “Your body temperature is a little on the low side. Why aren’t you wearing your jacket?”

Trust Yuma to get straight to the point.

Before Haruki could explain, the kitten in his arms released a small meow. Immediately, Yuma’s furrowed brow smoothed out into a look of surprise as he turned his attention to the bundled jacket held against Haruki’s chest. Yuma proceeded to look dumbfounded when the kitten popped its little head out of the fold of Haruki’s jacket and looked around, meowing softly the entire time.

“I couldn’t leave the little guy,” Haruki said simply as he scratched behind the kitten’s ear.

Surprisingly, Yuma sighed and gave Haruki a certain look, one that held the indication that he really should have expected as much from him. He didn’t look displeased, but honestly quite exasperated.

Haruki shrugged unapologetically as he readjusted his grip on the kitten. He, however, found himself shivering when an unfairly cold burst of wind washed over him and he hugged the kitten closer against his chest. He really needed to get inside out of the cold before he got a chill.

“You’re cold,” Yuma mumbled with a frown.

Before Haruki could smile and reassure him that he was fine, Yuma suddenly shrugged off his ISDF issued coat. And with a flick of his wrists, flared it out behind Haruki and placed it around his shoulders.

As the coat settled against his back, Haruki looked up at Yuma with wide eyes. “Yuma?”

Even though Haruki felt startled, he was not entirely surprised by the gesture. While Yuma was awkward regarding things ‘human’, he really was a thoughtful man who tried hard to look after others. And really was quite gentle and loving.

“We can’t have the leader of Unit 13 falling ill,” Yuma said as he tugged his coat tighter around Haruki’s shoulders, his hands lingering unconsciously longer than necessary. “Dragon Hunter or not, you’re still human. And humans are really quite fragile…”

The coat was so big and felt heavy across his shoulders and against his back, but it also felt so incredibly warm.

“But, what about you?” Haruki asked in concern when he noticed that Yuma had only the thin material of his uniform to keep out the cold.

“Me?” Yuma repeated as he looked subtly confused before granting Haruki a small smile and chuckling lightly. “I am a weapon, Haruki. I do not feel the cold. Nor do I become ill from staying out in the cold weather like this.”

Haruki resisted the urge to sigh aloud when Yuma mentioned that dratted word ‘weapon’ and instead nodded his head. “I see...”

“I’ll walk you back to Nodens,” Yuma offered with a smile.

With a smile returning to his lips, Haruki nodded his head in agreement and allowed the other man to fall in step beside him as they both turned in the direction of the unusually shaped Nodens’ Tower.

They walked together in silence, but despite that it was oddly comfortable.

Even so, Haruki couldn’t help himself from constantly glancing over in Yuma’s direction, wondering if it was really possible for him to be unaffected by the cold…

Haruki sighed quietly to himself as a soft, somewhat exasperated expression appeared on his face. Yuma _was_ feeling the cold. Whether he knew or was simply stubbornly ignoring it, the fact remained that he was cold. And Haruki knew that Yuma would never allow him to hand back his jacket until they reached the warmth of the Nodens building.

Always unwilling to allow himself to receive something without offering anything in return, there was only one thing Haruki could give him.

Ensuring that he kept a firm grip on the kitten sleeping peacefully and warm in his jacket against his chest with one arm, Haruki paused in his steps and reached up with his other hand to unwind his scarf. As he tugged it free from beneath Yuma's coat, Yuma turned to look at him with an expression of curiosity on his face.

"What are you-?"

"Lean forward a bit," Haruki requested with a small smile, cutting off Yuma's question.

Yuma blinked at him in pure confusion for a silent moment before complying, tilting his head forward rather awkwardly.

Haruki felt his smile soften into a gentle warmth as he reached up with his scarf and placed it around Yuma's neck. Yuma's eyes widen ever so slightly and his breath hitched in his throat as Haruki carefully positioned the scarf under his chin and over his shoulders in the style he usually wore it in.

"There," Haruki said with a warm smile as he fussed about ensuring that his scarf was in the right place to grant Yuma the most warmth. "Now we're both warm."

Yuma didn't know how to react. He looked puzzled, confused. Honestly, he just looked positively befuddled. It was really quite adorable. It made Haruki wished he had shared his scarf with the man sooner!

“Why would…?” Yuma began to question as his hand reached up to touch the scarf, his fingertips brushing lightly over the material almost as if in disbelief.

“Because even weapons deserve attention and care,” Haruki said as he lightly tapped the tip of Yuma’s nose with the tip of his finger and smiled warmly up at him. “Otherwise, they're unable to function properly, right?”

“Ah, y-yes,” Yuma said as he continued to look completely dumbfounded.

Haruki couldn’t help but chuckle at Yuma’s expression before the kitten he was carrying gave out a rather impatient squeak. “We better get out of this cold altogether,” he said.

“Yes, of course,” Yuma said as he seemed to gather himself, subconsciously standing straighter in an attempt to pull himself out of his stupor.

They found themselves walking in silence again, Haruki with one arm cradling the lost kitten as he tugged Yuma’s coat tighter around him with the other. And Yuma was lightly trailing his fingers along the material of Haruki’s scarf, a smile of sincere fondness on his lips.

Despite himself, a fluttering sensation suddenly appeared in Haruki’s chest when he felt Yuma’s arm carefully slip around to rest against his upper back. His touch was warm, but gentle. Like he usually was with him. Haruki’s smile grew soft as he leaned his head against Yuma’s shoulder and nestled himself willingly against his side. Yuma’s arm instantly tightened around him just that little bit more as he pulled him closer toward him still.

He had missed this peace and quiet. They had all been so busy lately. Even with the ability to go back and forth through time, they could barely find the time to catch their breaths, let alone spend time together.

This warmth was...very enjoyable.


End file.
